To the moon and back
by Big Cliffy Meanie1
Summary: Everyone has a theory about why Spinelli is so bitter, believing that she shuts herself off because she's being hurt, but how right are they? When TJ faces similar hard times, will Spinelli reach out to him, so they can run away and escape the hurt?


**To the moon and back**

Hi everyone, I'm posting this, although I'm not sure if anyone will read this, Judging by my last story that I posted (all over again) and the lack of stories on here right now, I'm thinking the section of this site is officially dead! However, I write because I like it, and it's an escape from my crazy life!

I am hoping to revieve the recess section though, I've got a few one-shots planned, and I have a multi-chapter story which should be up in the next couple of weeks!

Anyway, enough of my blabbing, this is a one-shot song fic to 'to the moon and back' by 'savage garden'

Below is a link where you can listen,

www .youtube .com/watch?v=gDywP3cvFy

Oh, and I don't own Recess, or the song, just the plot!

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**She's taking her time making up the reasons  
To justify all the hurt inside  
Guess she knows from the smiles and the look in their eyes  
Everyone's got a theory about the bitter one  
They're saying  
"Mama never loved her much"  
"And daddy never keeps in touch"  
"That's why she shies away from human affection"  
But somewhere in a private place  
She packs her bags for outer space  
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot  
To come (and she'll say to him)  
She's saying**

Sixteen year old Ashley Spinelli stood alone at her locker, putting her books from the previous class away. The next period had been cancelled, a number of students, including Lawson, and the former King Bob, had been caught with drugs in school and as a result, the Principle had called a full school assembly to talk about the risks of drug taking.

She felt the Ashley's watching her, but tried to ignore them. In elementary school, she'd always assumed they'd become the ultimate plastic (A/N: 'mean girls' type plastics) bitches of the school, however she hadn't quite been right. They had indeed become the plastics of the school, however when the Ashleys' reached High School, the Megans' did too (A/N: confused? See the dance class episode) the two girl groups had been instant rivals, both wanting to rule the school. To do this, the Megans' became the school bitches that would rule the school and have everyone fear nd respect them, while the Ashley's chose to become the nice girls, kind to everyone, feeling that everyone would love them. Although Spinelli could tolerate the Ashley's in small doses, their false, sugary-sweet but still arrogant nature just bothered her. They acted as though they were better than everyone, and what they did for the good, changed everyone's lives for the better. Right now, she could feel them watching her and smiling, with that look in their eyes.

"Mama never loved her much" said Ashley B, looking at Spinelli sadly.

"And her daddy never keeps in touch" added Ashley Q, looked at Spinelli with the same sad look.

"That's why she shies away from human affection" said Ashley A, nodding in agreement with her friends.

"I can hear you, you know" snapped Spinelli, slamming her lockers and glaring at them "I don't _shy away from human affection_ because _my mum doesn't love me much_, and _my dad doesn't keep in touch_, your theory is total bull! I just don't want to socialise with fake, arrogant people like you!"

The Ashleys watched Spinelli storm away.

"Bless her" said Ashley A sadly "She's like totally making up a bunch reasons, to justify all the hurt inside. But at least she knows we're here and we care, we are such good people"

"You're so right Ashley A" nodded Ashley Q

"Come on girls" said Ashley T "Lets head off for that assembly, us Ashley's have standards and don't get tardies like those _Megans_do!"

**I would fly you to the moon and back  
If you'll be if you'll be my baby  
Got a ticket for a world where we belong  
So would you be my baby  
Ooh-ooh**

Spinelli sat down alone, ready for the assembly, thinking of the things the Ashleys had said. She couldn't help but feel angry, partly because what they said was true.

Ever since she could remember, she was always a daddy's girl, closer to her dad than she was her mum. She and her mother had never seen eye to eye, they were compete opposites, she loved wrestling, and her mother loved dance, she liked an alternative style to dress in, her mum preferred the pink plastic look that the Ashleys and Megans regularly sported.

When she was fourteen, an incident finalised the distance between Spinelli and her mother: Mrs Spinelli had been having an affair with the young, twenty-five year old gardener, which happened to be Digger Sam's older brother. This incident pushed her Father away, and Spinelli put complete blame upon her Mother. Before everything kicked off Spinelli had no idea what was going on, she thought her parents had the perfect loving relationship, every time they introduced themselves they would almost sing '_we're the Spinellis, Bob and Flo'_. Everyone had seen it after they attended parents evening back in the fourth grade. However, Digger Sam soon put an end to her blissful ignorance. He confronted her as she sat with her friends, TJ, Vince, Gus, Mikey and Gretchen, at lunchtime, in the middle of the school cafeteria.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FLASHBACK:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"WELL IF IT ISNT THE DAUGHTER OF THE SLUT!" shouted Digger Sam, stood in front of the table Spinelli and the gang were sat at. The cafeteria fell silent, watching the drama begin to unfold with great interest.

"WHAT! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!" she shouted in return, standing, and storming around the table to face up to Sam. Behind her the gang watched with surprise, Digger Sam was way out of line for what he said to Spinelli, and deserved her actions.

"I SAID THAT YOUR MOTHER IS A DIRTY, FILTHY, CRADLE SNATCHING, SLUT!" screamed Digger Sam.

"WHY I OUGHTA"

"WHAT? JUDGING BY WHAT YOUR FILTHY MOTHER DOES, I ACTUALLY DONT THINK I WANT TO KNOW WHAT 'YOU OUGHTA' DO! ARE YOU GOING TO DENY IT SPINELLI?"

"YOU'RE TALKING SHIT SAM! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE ON ABOUT!"

"WELL MAYBE THIS WILL CLUE YOU IN!" shouted Sam, pulling out a phone, putting it on loud speaker, and playing a voice message.

"Hello my _sexy_ gardener, its Flo Spinelli, your _personal_ client calling" said a voice which was unmistakably Mrs Spinelli's, in a deep, erotic and sexy voice "I'm hot and sweaty just thinking of the _work_ you did on my _garden_, but I'm not quite finished yet, I think I need to arrange another visit, for some more of your _personal work_" (A/N: I'm sorry, I personally just cannot do sexy, no matter how hard I try, so just use your imagination to cover my epic failure here! I'm cringing so much at it!)

Spinelli stared at the phone in horror, her blissful view of her parents' perfect marriage shattered.

"SO, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR SLUT OF A MOTHER NOW?" shouted "SHE LEFT THAT MESSAGE FOR MY BROTHER! HE'S TWENTY-FIVE!"

At a loss of what to say, and completely humiliated, Spinelli bolted from the room.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: END OF FLASHBACK::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Spinelli had run straight home, and confronted her Mum, shouting at her about what she'd done, the two women were so busy arguing that they didn't hear Mr Spinelli return home. He, however, heard everything they were saying.

The couple had rowed for hours, and finally Mr Spinelli had packed his bags and left. He moved to Washington, and within months, he'd lost touch with his daughter, only keeping in touch on her birthday, or at Christmas, sending her a card with a gift certificate that she could use at the mall. Spinelli completely blamed her mother for everything, flatly refusing to speak to her unless it was on a need-to-basis.

TJ and get gang had all felt for Spinelli, and could see how hurt and angry she was, and how hard she had taken the news; she would snap and getting angry for the slightest thing. As a result they decided to give her some space, thinking this would help her. However, they couldn't have been more wrong. Spinelli saw this as the ultimate betrayal from them, she shut down and pushed them away, refusing to speak to them for the crimes they'd committed. She was particularly angry with TJ, they'd been closer than the rest of the gang, and had as-good-as established their mutual attraction for each other just before everything kicked off. Gretchen had since argued that it was as though Spinelli was trying them for treason and crimes that were never defined.

Soon after this, the gang all moved on to high school, and drifted apart, TJ and Vince became the school sports stars, Mikey had become friends with the drama crew, Gretchen with the science geeks, Gus had tried to maintain their friendship for a few months, but his Dad was then re-stationed to Florida. Spinelli was a bit like a loner, talking to the fellow outcasts, such as Butch, but was never particularly close to them.

**She can't remember a time  
When she felt needed  
If love was red then she was colour-blind  
All her friends they've been tried for treason  
And crimes that were never defined  
She's saying  
"Love is like a barren place"  
"And reaching out for human faith is  
Is like a journey I just don't have a map for"  
So baby gonna take a dive and push the shift to overdrive  
Send a signal that she's hanging all her hopes on the stars  
(What a pleasant dream) just saying  
**

"I've asked you all here today" said Principle Jackson, addressing the students before him "To talk to a very serious incident that has occured in the last few days: drugs. Do not take drugs, no drug is ok, no drug is safe, no drug is without its side effects, all drugs are addictive, they will destroy your mind and body"

"Wow" whispered Ashley A loudly, so everyone could hear "That must be, like, what happened to the Megans! Have you seen Megan P's new nose? So sad, drugs must have totally destroyed the old one"

"YOU PEROXIDE FREAK!" screamed Megan P standing up "I'll RIP YOUR HAIR OUT! AND I HAVE NOT HAD A NOSE JOB!"

"THANK YOU MEGAN" said Principle Jackson loudly "You'll be in detention after school. Now if you could all settle down, and watch this informational video on the dangers of drugs"

"It's going to be real _informational_ for you TJ Detweiler" said Megan R knowingly.

"Oh shut up Megan" snapped TJ, he was about to continue with his retort, when the video began to play.

However, it wasn't an informational video on drug safety that began to play. The room was immediately filled with the sound of a woman screaming and moaning, and a man grunting. Principle Jackson frantically tried to stop the video as the picture became clearer.

Then, clear as day, on the screen in front of the students, was the schools slutty secretary, Jenny, and Mr Detweiler, TJ's dad, having sex on her secretarial desk. Principle Jackson finally managed to shut down the video, but it was too late, the damage was done.

The hall erupted with whispers, everyone starting at TJ, those that had been sat with him had moved away, creating an invisible force-field around him.

"Everyone is dismissed, NOW!" shouted Principle Jackson "Megan Parsons, Megan Russel, Megan Simpson, Megan Jenkins, please see me in my office"

**I would fly you to the moon and back  
If you'll be if you'll be my baby  
Got a ticket for a world where we belong  
So would you be my baby  
Ooh-ooh**

That evening Spinelli sat in her window, staring up at the stars and she thought about how her life had become over the last two years, and the events of the day. TJ had vanished after the revelation about his dad and the school secretary, no one had seen him since the video had been played in the school assembly.

At first Spinelli had taken her parents' divorce, and her friends distancing themselves from her very badly. She responded by building barriers around herself, building them so tall and strong, that she shut out the world. She'd learned to simply survive alone, without any emotional support; at first she saw the expression of emotion as weakness. Originally her barriered isolation had made her feel comfortable and safe, but now, she just felt lonely and she knew the right person, namely TJ, could simply tip them over with his finger. Spinelli had been hoping for it to happen, and she'd hoped that he would see this and come and show her the love she so desperately needed, however, he hadn't. Apparently he just saw the barriers she'd built. It seemed that like everyone else, he felt that she had no real grip on human affection.

As she continued to gaze up at the stars, pinning her hopes on them, she noticed a shooting star, and couldn't help but smile and she made a wish for everything to get better. It took her several moments to realise her actions and suddenly, it was like she'd had an epiphany. She realised that she couldn't pin all her hopes on the stars, or something that might or might not, ever happen. Spinelli finally realised it was time to take control of her life and finally do something.

So, alone, in her bedroom, her own private place, she acted quickly, spurred on be a sudden rush of adrenaline and enlightenment. Dragging her suitcase from the closet, she began throwing all her clothes, and everything she needed inside. Once her bag was packed, her hurried downstairs, opened the cupboard for the large supply of emergency cash that her mum kept. Until this day, she thought it was ridiculous that her mum had kept such a large supply of cash for an emergency, now she was grateful for it.

She then took out a phone, dialled a phone number she hadn't phoned in a while, and waited for the recipient to answer.

"Hello?"

"Gus?" asked Spinelli.

"Spinelli, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me" replied Spinelli "Are you still living in Florida?"

"Yes, why?"

"I don't suppose you'd like a couple of visitors?"

"Are you serious? I'd love that!" said Gus happily "You?"

"Yes"

"And who?"

"Well that part of my plan still needs to be put into motion. I'll call and fill you in, but if all goes to plan, we'll head off tonight, and drive down to Florida to you, it will probably take us a good few days with rest stops. Otherwise I'll be coming on my own and taking a train or coach or something, as I don't have a car" (A/N: I know they live in Arkansas, but I live in the UK, so I don't know much about the travelling times and geography of the US, so i don't know if a week is accurate!)

**Mamma never loved her much  
And daddy never keeps in touch  
That's why she shies away from human affection  
But somewhere in a private place  
She packs her bags for outer space  
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot  
To come (and she'll say to him)  
She's saying to him  
**

Thankfully, TJ still only lived three doors down, so, after hiding her case in the bushes outside her house, she approached his house. She could hear his parents arguing from where she stood in the garden, so opted not to knock on the door. Instead she ran around the side of the house and looked up at TJ's window, she could see his light on, so climbed up the tree, which had a branch that conveniently extended to his window.

Several tense moments later, and Spinelli had climbed the tree, and slid out along the branch to his window. Peering in she spotted TJ sat on the floor, his back against his bed, he was throwing a baseball against the wall, and catching it as it bounced onto the floor, and toward him. Spinelli couldn't help but think he looked like someone who was held captive, not by locked doors, but by the arguing of his parents, and its consequences. Spinelli had been in his position long enough to know how he felt, and that it was a really bad place to get caught in; all she wanted at the time, was someone to be there, she hoped TJ would be the same. Taking a deep breath, she knocked quietly against the window. Despite the quietness of her knock, TJ still jumped, looking at her with shock and disbelief as she looked at him through the window. Coming to his senses, he hurried across the room, and opened the window.

"Can I come in" said Spinelli, although she really wasn't asking. TJ seemed reluctant, glancing over his shoulder, in the direction on his screaming parents "I've heard enough of that before Teej, don't worry" TJ nodded, and stepped back, letting her in "Are you ok?"

"Not really"

"Sorry, stupid question"

"Not to be rude, but what are you doing here Spinelli?" asked TJ. Now he had put her on the spot, Spinelli wasn't quite sure where to start.

"I came over to see how you were holding up" replied Spinelli "I've been where you are, I know exactly how your feeling, and the last thing I needed back then was to be alone"

"So after two years of saying nothing to me, you're back?"

"I didn't go anywhere" replied Spinelli "but that's not the point. The thing is TJ, this really isn't easy for me, but I know you need a friend right now. That's why I'm here and reaching out to you; I know I may not be the best at it. Reaching of for human faith is, well it's like a journey that I just don't have the map for"

"I'm so humiliated Spin" said TJ sitting down on the edge of his bed, Spinelli followed his lead.

"I know, believe me, I was too. You feel like you don't know who to trust, or what to believe in. The love you thought existed between your parents just doesn't exist, and now love is just like some barren place"

"Exactly"

"But it's not true. Sure, there was love between your parents, and mine, but then everything kicked off, and just disintegrated and didn't exist anymore. But that doesn't mean that love doesn't exist for other people look at your grandparents, Sixty years, and they're still as in love as ever"

"I guess you're right" said TJ "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, you were so important to me back then. You still are now actually. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving you your space"

"That's water under the bridge now Teej, forget about it"

"Thanks for understanding" replied TJ "Now I just don't know what to do with myself, I feel like I just want to escape from here"

"Like you don't belong" nodded Spinelli

"Exactly! I know school is out for the summer in two weeks, and I can always try and get away for a bit then, but how the hell am I supposed to face those two weeks? Quite honestly it's the last thing I want to do"

"Well, maybe you don't have to. Lets run away together" replied Spinelli "Come to Florida with me, tonight"

"Serious?"

"Completly" replied Spinelli "My bag is packed, and waiting outside, ready to go. I've got more than enough money. I'm going down to Florida to see Gus, and I told him I was bringing someone with me. So what do you say?"

**I would fly you to the moon and back  
If you'll be if you'll be my baby  
Got a ticket for a world where we belong  
So would you be my baby  
Ooh-ooh**

"So what? We just cut the last two weeks of school, and run away?"

"Exactly!" replied Spinelli "All our final exams and essays are complete, so what is there to miss?"

"Spin-"

"-Look Teej, I don't think I can do this without you, I need you. All I need someone to love me, and it doesn't have to be in the romantic sense, I get that the romance between us happened two years ago."

"What I was going to say" said TJ, smiling at Spinelli "Is that you are amazing. I definitely want to leave for Florida with you, I don't even need to give it a second thought. And we'll sort out the finer details when we get there"

"Yeah, I was thinking we could transfer to one of the schools over there, my cousin-"

"-I'm still not finished" said TJ with a smile, placing his hand gently on her cheek "You said all you needed was someone to love you? Well I can't do much at the moment, I feel a bit of a mess, but that I can do. I can do it because I do love you, I have done for years, not just in the friendship sense, but also in the romantic sense. Spinelli, I'll give you enough love for you to get to the moon and back, several times over if that's what you need. So would you be my baby?"

"Nothing would make me happier" replied Spinelli.

TJ smiled, leant over, and kissed Spinelli softly. The kiss was filled with so much love and understanding, something they both needed at that point. Finally, they parted.

**I would fly you to the moon and back  
If you'll be if you'll be my baby  
Got a ticket for a world where we belong  
So would you be my baby  
Ooh-ooh**

Twenty minutes later, and they were sat in TJ's car.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" asked Spinelli.

"Positive" replied TJ "Let's lit the road. Destination, Florida"

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I really hope you guys enjoyed the story, if you did, please review! If not, and you can offer me some constructive criticism, please do!

Apologies for any spelling and grammar issues, I'm dyslexic, so may have missed some in proof reading! Please point out any errors for me to correct!

Big Cliffy Meanie x


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